Page 1 of 1 An accomplished engineer himself, Jack Brabham not only drove for the Cooper Formula 1 team but also played a vital role in the development of the two-time World Championship winning events. During this period he often consulted fellow Australian Ron Tauranac. In 1961, Brabham convinced Tauranac to come to Europe to build racing cars together. They established MRD (Motor Racing Developments), and set about creating a new Formula Junior racer. After a single example was built, the manufacturer name was changed to Brabham as MRD sounded to similar to a French swearword.

Based on the unique MRD Formula Junior, Brabham and Tauranac introduced the BT2 for the 1962 season. The first Brabham was a wholly conventional car built around a steel tubular spaceframe chassis. Usually powered by the readily available Cosworth-modified Ford Anglia engine, it was clothed in a straightforward fibreglass body. A respectable 11 examples were built in 1962, including a works car for Frank Gardner. Jo Schlesser scored the marque's first victory in a French Blue BT2.

For the 1963 season, the BT2 evolved into the BT6 of which a further 20 were built. It was altogether more successful with Brabhams scoring numerous victories in the hands of the likes of Schlesser and Denny Hulme, who was that year's works driver. In 1963, Brabham was bettered only by Lotus, who fielded the sophisticated monocoque Type 27. It was the final year of Formula Junior, and the BT6 was replaced by the BT9 Formula 3 car. Page 1 of 1